We spent last weekend in Ely in order to celebrate Gordon’s birthday (and check out The Boathouse restaurant where we’ll be going for my 60th celebration next week).

Ely is a lovely city which specialises in the vintage – so we fitted right in. Old buildings….

View of the West Tower of Ely Cathedral from Palace Green looking down the barrel of a cannon which was captured from the Russians in Sebastapol.

16th century house

and vintage vehicles….

Beautifully looked after Austin A30 Countryman

We spotted this beauty from the poop deck of the boat. We knew something was up when the boat was surrounded by people with cameras pointing up at the railway bridge.

Gordon’s birthday dinner was a great success. We loved the food, atmosphere and service in The Boathouse and are really glad we chose it as the venue for the meal next week.

Happy birthday boy!

The best part of the weekend was to come the next day when we’d moved from Ely to Prickwillow on the River Lark. We had a wonderful surprise visit from my daughter Jenny, Ali and of course Seb and Josh. It was the first time the boys had seen the boat and they were so excited.

They tried their hand at fishing with their Grandad Gordon…

With a piece of string as a line and bacon as bait there wasn’t any chance of actually catching any fish but the boys enjoyed it anyway

They had a go at steering…..

…and kept a weather eye out for pirates.

Stand by to repel boarders!

What a great way to end a brilliant weekend and we’re really looking forward to another visit or two before we move too far away for them to make a day trip.

Good to be able to get a real photo to put in the On the Poop Deck section.

Gordon’s a June baby (day before Mick) but I’m actually July – when you’ve got a load of people to get together you’ve just got to compromise on date! Looks like Mick had a good birthday and that the four of you are having an incredible trip.